OTTAWA — Recent changes that have made it tougher to obtain Canadian citizenship may be “counterproductive” to successful immigrant integration, a new study suggests, while a renewed emphasis on military history and British traditions runs counter to the “ethos” of multiculturalism.

The study, by University of Ottawa professor Elke Winter for the Institute for Research on Public Policy, also raises concerns about the government’s attitude in depicting newcomers as fraudsters and singling out particular religions and cultures as “potentially less adaptable.”

While Canada remains a “world leader” with respect to naturalization, the process by which an individual becomes a citizen if they were not born here, and does not appear to be deliberately restricting newcomers from obtaining citizenship despite new language rules, Canadian knowledge requirements and a pricier application fee, Winter concluded some changes introduced by the Conservatives are “outright troubling.”

Changes to the citizenship study guide that emphasize the monarchy, new measures to include Canadian Forces personnel at citizenship ceremonies and debate over a bill that would fast-track citizenship eligibility for those who serve in the military, she argues, suggests Canada is headed in the direction of “renationalization.”

Furthermore, new references to honour killings and female genital mutilation in the study guide and a requirement that newcomers take the citizenship oath unveiled suggest Muslims have become the “group that is viewed as being most urgently in need of cultural compliance.”

“The Canadian government is actively engaged in a process of historicizing, culturalizing and ‘thickening’ Canadian citizenship,” she wrote.

“Symbolic politics emphasizing the importance of Canada’s British cultural roots are problematic as they remind us of the period before the introduction of the federal multiculturalism policy — one that was characterized by conformity to anglophone norms and ‘speak white’ ideology.”

Changes to the “tone of how citizenship is framed” are also problematic, she found, noting this is evident in the government’s emphasis on citizenship fraud, marriages of convenience, the rights of dual citizens and birth tourists who come to Canada for the explicit purpose of ensuring their babies are born Canadian.

“It is troublesome to represent future compatriots as being typically fraudulent and mischievous,” she argues. “This framing of those who will eventually become ‘us’ does not seem a good way of generating social trust and cohesion.”

Tough new language rules and knowledge requirements, and soon the necessity to pay $400 just to apply, suggests “naturalization” has become the “prize” at the end of successful integration, Winter found, where once citizenship acquisition was a step in the process.

“Naturalization provides new citizens with a safe place to live their lives, develop their professional careers and businesses, create roots and, over time, integrate further,” she wrote. “In a liberal democracy, there does not seem to be a better way to turn others into us.”

I cover justice, immigration and public safety issues as part of the Postmedia News politics team. I also keep tabs on what the official Opposition — the NDP — is up to in the House of Commons.
Before... read more coming here I spent several years in Montreal and Toronto with The Canadian Press covering provincial politics and major crime and court stories. I also helped cover the war in Afghanistan from inside and outside the wire.
I previously worked for the Ottawa Sun chasing crime stories and following convicts through the court system.
I love the unpredictability of my job and believe the opportunity to help document history as it unfolds is an awesome privilege that never ceases to give me chills.
I'm also thrilled to be back in Ottawa — my home town.
When not working, I love playing soccer, snowboarding, hitting up a live rock/blues/soul/funk show, indulging in my favourite microbrew with friends or hanging out with my three (not so little anymore) sisters!View author's profile